Sonic Conrolled Land Speeder (JC Penney Exclusive)

RELATED LINKS

Box Front

box side (click to enlarge) box side (click to enlarge)
Box Sides (click to enlarge)


Catalog Entry
Catalog Description:

Land Speeder is Controlled by Sound! Looks just like Luke Skywalker's vehicle in Star Wars. It travels along by itself, and the remote control clicker (looks just like R2-D2) moves the Land Speeder left, right, forward or back-- from up to 16 ft. away! Has hidden wheels so it seems to float. Can carry action figures sold below. (Figure shown not included.) Plastic. 11 in. long. Uses 4 "AA" batteries--not included, sold on page 502. For ages 4 and up.
X 925-9789 A--Mailable: wt 1.75 lbs...11.44

Source: 1979 J.C. Penney Christmas Catalog


Description:
Available soley through J.C. Penney's Christmas catalogs of 1978 through 1980, the Sonic Controlled Land Speeder was one of Kenner's more intriguing action figure toys. It operated via a sound-activated mechanism, which would reverse the direction in which the vehicle was traveling each time a loud "clack" was produced using the included R2-D2 shaped controller. Unfortunately, the toy was extremely prone to malfunction, and this may have been partly responsible for Kenner's decision not to release it widely. Still, it's one of the rarer Kenner Star Wars toys, particularly in unused condition. It is easily distinguished from the standard Landspeeder toy by its bulkier dimensions and battery compartment.

Although Kenner only used the "LP" logo (short for "long play") on the boxes of their products that were issued in 1978, and the Sonic-Controlled Landspeeder was available through 1980, I have never seen a version of the toy's box that did not bear the logo.

First Issued: 1978 (SW packaging)
Re-issues: None


Back to Action Figure Toy Menu